


Merry Rhinkmas 2018

by LikeASwitchInHeat



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: 2018 advent ficlet challenge, Cabin Fic, Christmas Cards, Christmas Carols as Foreplay, Christmas Cookies, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Lights, Christmas Magic, Christmas Party, Christmas Presents, Christmas Smut, Christmas Wish, Eggnog, Festive Nudity, Huddling For Warmth, Icing Controversy, M/M, Nutcracker, Voyeuristic Elf on the Shelf, family traditions, home for the holidays, peppermint lube
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-05 01:16:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 10,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16800793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LikeASwitchInHeat/pseuds/LikeASwitchInHeat
Summary: 2018 Advent Ficlet Challege - 24 unrelated/stand-alone holiday prompt-inspired Rhinky ficlets.Please see notes at beginning of each chapter for chapter-specific rating notes and chapter-specific tags/warnings/promises.





	1. Day 1 - Holiday Decor

Link was losing hope as he strolled through the Christmas Village market, cup of steaming hot mulled wine in hand. He and Rhett had a tradition of buying each other a new Christmas ornament each year. Then those new decorations would be the first baubles placed on their tree. Link started panicking as he neared completion of what felt like the hundredth pass of the vendor booths. Rhett would be meeting him to pick out their tree so they could decorate it that evening, and Link still hadn’t found anything that really spoke to him. Suddenly, he was stopped in his tracks. There was a smaller booth wedged in and pushed back a little from the other booths. They were selling beautifully handcrafted wooden ornaments. This was perfect! A peculiar carved skinny-Santa caught his eye. He hadn’t really seen a lot of skinny-Santas. The trinket hadn’t been painted, simply carved, stained, and glazed. With the golden-beige coloring of the wood, prominent cheeks, and the beard... Link was surprised to find himself thinking Rhett could make a really great Santa. The build and age with which Santa Claus was traditionally depicted would never have led him to make that connection before. But now it was all he could think about: giving Rhett this perfect ornament, sitting on his lap, telling him how good he had been - how good he would be - if Santa would just give him what he wanted.


	2. Day 2 - Star

Rhett and Link both worked toward setting the perfect atmosphere for that evening’s gift exchange. Rhett put on some Christmas music softly in the background, and mulled hot cider with white wine. Link carefully lit the fireplace (he’d never hear the end of it, if he screwed that’s up!). Link put on Barbara and Jade’s Christmas collars, and felt significantly more festive watching those two chase each other, and listening to them jingling around the house. 

Finally, they sat down by the tree. Barbara settling into Link’s lap for a change. Jade happily curled up in the crook of Rhett’s legs. Lights dim, Christmas tree glowing softly against them. Link opened a small gift box containing an envelope. Concert tickets? Plane tickets for some exotic vacation? He slid his finger into the envelope to open it, consciously avoiding a paper cut. 

His brows knit in confusion, as he pulled out a familiar looking certificate. “A star? Um, Rhett. I hate to tell you this, baby - but you’ve already done this one. For my birthday, remember?”

“Star?” Rhett asked, in feigned confusion. “Oh, whoops. I must have mixed up the gifts.”

“You just out there buyin’ other people stars?!”

“Look at the certificate, honey. This here’s the Rhett Star! RhettSTAR! Rhettster, get it?”

“You bought _yourself_ a freakin’ star? For Christmas, Rhett? You’re unbelievable...” Link wasn’t sure what game Rhett was playing. But he’d put a lot of thought into his own gift for Rhett, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t staying to feel genuinely annoyed right now about how this gift exchange was going. 

“Calm down, Link. Let me explain. And you’d better buckle up, honey. Because, I’m about to romance your socks off.”

Link raised a skeptical eyebrow, but he was listening. 

“Turns out the Linkster’s star, Linkstar, isn’t just one star. It’s actually two. They just thought it was one because they are so close together. But it’s actually a binary star system. You know me, I only read one article about it, but as far as I can tell: they’re two hot, massive stars - where instead of one sucking the life outta the other, they overlap and share their material - called an ‘overcontact binary system’. Or ‘kissing stars’. The two eventually merge together and become gigantic; magnetic even. Ultimately going out together in one of the most energetic explosions the universe has ever seen.”

Link was speechless. 

“Or....” Rhett continued, “There is another possibility where they end up separating, exploding independently creating a rare system of binary black holes. Which is astronomically interesting, but significantly more depressing and less romanti—“

Rhett was silenced by Link’s leaping across the floor to crush a kiss against his lips, and practically climbing into his lap. 

Rhett pulled back briefly to remind Link to be careful of Jade, who was still somewhere around Rhett’s legs. But then relaxed into accepting all of Link’s nonverbal thanks.


	3. Day 3 - You Better Watch Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: rating did go up due to a voyeuristic elf on the shelf, Christmas carols as foreplay, and some dirty talk.

Rhett had barely made it downstairs from putting their little one down for a nap before Link had him up against the wall. Breath deliciously quick and heated against his scruffy bearded neck. It reminded him that he could really use a shave. But when trying to get a newborn sleep-trained, you have to pick and choose which needs get tended to. And the way that Link was rubbing up against him, he reckoned the beard wasn’t the most pressing need he had been neglecting. 

He tilted his head down to meet Link’s searching lips, returning the open-mouthed kiss in earnest. He closed his eyes; the feeling of Link’s mouth on his, and the way Link’s fingers felt their way under his shirt and up his back, leaving goosebumps in their wake... yeah, those were the only sensations Rhett needed. 

When Rhett’s eyes opened momentarily, peeking over top of Link’s hair, he caught sight of something that... just didn’t sit right with him. “Buddy...” Rhett muttered against Link’s lips. 

“Whatever you wanna call me, honey, as long as you’re calling for me,” Link husked, voice desperate and dripping with the promise of sex. 

“No, man. Buddy! The freaking elf.”

“The elf on the shelf?!” Link briefly looked back at their child’s lifeless, smiling doll slumped on the shelf. “What’re ya bringing’ him into this for?”

“He’s... y’know, watching us.”

Like smirked. “What do you think? That he’s gonna tell Santa?” He leaned up to take Rhett’s bottom lip between his teeth. “Tell ‘im you’ve been naughty?”

“No,” Rhett huffed quietly. “Just creeps me out is all...”

“ _He sees you when you’re sleeping..._ ” Link teased in a sing-song voice. 

“Shuttup...”

“ _He knows when you’re awake...._ ”

“Can we just turn him around or something?”

“How ‘bout I turn you around, baby?” Link growled into his ear. “Then you won’t have to worry about lookin’ at him lookin’ at you.” 

Rhett’s chest was heaving by this point, all thoughts on the idea of Link fucking him. 

“He’s still gonna know, though, whether he’s watching or not.” Link roughly turned Rhett away from him. He gripped Rhett’s hips, and pressed himself against Rhett’s backside. He cooed up into his ear. “ _He knows if you’ve been bad or good._ ” He began to unbutton Rhett’s pants, sliding them down his long legs. 

“I’ll be good,” Rhett whined, then added in a whimper, “Gonna be real good for you.” Rhett spread his legs a bit, evening out their heights. 

“I say, let the elf watch,” He pulled Rhett’s shirt off and gently leaned him forward, planting kisses down his down his back. “Santa finds our what a good boy you been, and I bet you get all kinds of new toys.”


	4. Day 4 - Snowman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Totally G-rated childhood randl

Link Neal had to be the saddest little boy to ever build a snowman. He shouldn’t have felt such pangs of sadness. There was lots to be happy about. It was Christmas vacation for starters, which meant no waking up early for school, or teachers telling him what to do. And he got to spend tons of time with his grandparents, which was a heck of a lot better than hanging around the kids at kindergarten. They mostly picked on him for being small, or strange, or whatever the excuse of the day might be. Anyway, it was Christmas Eve! Tomorrow would be Christmas Day. His mom didn’t have to work, there’d be presents, and great food. Suddenly, it dawned on him. As he played in the snow, building a snowman from the season’s first snowfall. There was something that his nana had told him, or read to him from a storybook. “There’s a certain magic that comes with the very first snow, especially when it falls on the day before Christmas. For when the first now is also a Christmas snow... well, something wonderful is bound to happen.” A magic snow, Link thought to himself. Wouldn’t that be something? If his snowman companion were to come to life. The other kids would want to play with him then, if he had a magic snowman best friend. They’d be so impressed that they’d want to stay friends with him, even after the magic faded and the snowman inevitably melted away. Link’s heart slowly sank as reality crept back to him: there was no magic, and no wish that he could make upon this Christmas Eve snow that was gonna result in him magically having a best friend. 

—————

Twenty-five hundred miles away, Rhett sat at the top of the steps listening in on his parents conversation, when he should have been fast asleep in his bed. His original intent was not to eavesdrop on his parents. He was trying to catch a peek at Santa Claus delivering his presents. But instead he overheard his parents talking about a job offer his dad had received just that very day. About the pros and cons of accepting it. But it sounded like they’d already decided. “It’s a great opportunity career-wise... and to get us back in the southeast. I didn’t think they were interested! Something must have fallen through, or changed somehow. It’s like a Christmas Eve miracle.” They would wait until after the holidays to tell him and his brother. And they’d let them finish out the school year there in California. But sounded to Rhett like he’d be starting first grade in North Carolina...


	5. Day 5 - Believe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is explicit: kink, power-exchange, butt plugs, blowjobs, handjobs

There was something so deliciously ‘wrong’ about getting kinky at Link’s family’s Christmas party. But if Link said it was a good idea, Rhett believed him. Unequivocally. 

That was what made their relationship so fulfilling. In their college days when they began experimenting with... many things. Each other. Kink. Power exchange. Back then, Rhett would have had a thousand questions. And he’d have asked them. Now his trust was firmly placed in Link, he felt it in his bones.

Link wouldn’t do anything if he thought it might be a bad idea. He wouldn’t do anything to humiliate Rhett. He respected his limits. Even when Rhett felt like Link was pushing him, he Rhett knew that it was just an illusion of risk, and that it was okay to enjoy the thrill, as Link would be controlling the situation. He could trust Link to keep him safe. It was one of the most beautiful feelings Rhett had ever experienced.

So Rhett didn’t question as Link helped dress him for the party. Picking out festive colors for his suit and tie. Fun socks featuring a likeness of Barbara in a Santa hat. He didn’t question the scent of peppermint lube, and the sight of a familiar remote control vibrating plug. “Don’t worry, baby. I won’t leave you a complete whimpering mess, to come in your pants in front of my entire family.” 

“I know that, sir.” Rhett exhaled with an open-mouthed smile as Link eased the plug in. “The choice of lube is... festive.” 

“It smells great.” Link finished buckling Rhett’s pants and stepped back to admire his work. “And you look great.”

“Thank you for that, sir.”

The wholesome family get together was a lot of fun. Great food and drink. Country Christmas tunes in the background. A cut-throat game of a white elephant gift exchange. 

Link didn’t hesitate to send Rhett an occasional intense vibration to remind him of their game. And Rhett was living for it. 

When Link guided Rhett to a cluttered sewing room that he’d never been to before, despite having visited this house many times over the years, Rhett didn’t question his discretion. When Link lowered Rhett to his knees, and slipped himself from his pants and into Rhett’s mouth, Rhett didn’t question. Link turned up the vibrations in the plug until Rhett was practically humping his leg as he sucked him off. Rhett thanked him as he wiped his mouth. But before he’d gotten the words of gratitude completely out, Link had snaked one arm behind Rhett to push the plug in deeper, pulsing bursts of added pressure right where Rhett needed it. His other hand was roughy pumping Rhett’s cock. Rhett buried his face in the top of Link’s head, breathing him in, trying not to mess up his hair, and trying to come quietly.

Rhett was not surprised when after, Link had apparently hidden different wipes and cleaning supplies around the small room. He had taken care of everything. He always did.


	6. Day 6 - Fireplace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is Rated T: College Rhink on Christmas break; cabin fic; classic huddling together ‘for warmth’

The cabin they’d booked for the snowboarding trip their Christmas vacation from college wasn’t small. It simply wasn’t large enough to accommodate five man-sized children. There were two bedrooms. One with a twin-bed. One with a full-bed. Then there was the common area. A living room with a couch, and a step-up into the open kitchen. They drew straws to choose where they’d sleep. Rhett and Link drew short straws, and would be crashing in the living room. 

“It’s not the worst of the accommodations.” As Rhett said it, he wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince Link, or himself. “‘Least we don’t have to sleep in bed together!”

“It woulda been more comfortable than the floor,” Link sulked. 

“You take the couch. I’m too tall for it anyway.”

Link laid his sleeping bag on top of the couch, as Rhett unrolled his onto the floor in front of the festively decorated fireplace. 

“This fire sure is nice.”

“Mmmm.” Link sleepily agreed. 

“You must be cold over there, so far from it.”

“Not really.”

“Don’t lie. Actin’ all tough, Neal. You’ve gotta be freezing over there.”

“Rhett, I’m fine!”

“Listen, I can’t sleep thinkin’ about you so cold over there. Why don’t you just bring your sleeping bag down here to keep warm?”

Link rolled his eyes. But in hopes of getting Rhett to shut up and let him sleep already, he moved his sleeping bag down in front of the fire. Next to Rhett. 

“You think this is better?” Rhett whispered. 

“Yeah. Yeah, it is. I think I was a little chilly over there.”

“‘Course you were. Why don’t you get closer to me, and warm up a little?”

There was no way around it, Link knew, as he inched himself closer to Rhett. Fitting the curve of his spine into the softness of Rhett’s front. They were outright cuddling. Spooning. And the proximity was giving them both nourishment that neither had realized they’d been lacking.

Rhett draped his arm over Link to hold him tightly.

“Y’know we can’t fall asleep like this.” Link murmured, without any real conviction. 

“I’m not, it’s just... I’m just comfortable like this right now. Are... are you _un_ comfortable?”

Link turned slowly until he was facing Rhett, nose to nose, and answered Rhett’s question in the form of a soft, chaste kiss. He paused. Waiting for Rhett to respond. After a moment’s hesitation, Rhett returned the kiss with a few of his own. 

Their kisses began to escalate. The heat between them rivaling that of the crackling fire when they heard one of the large, wooden bedroom doors creak open. 

They pulled apart, flipping onto their sides, back-to-back. They pretended they were sleeping. They pretended they were dead. When their friend had gotten their glass of water and returned to their bedroom, they both exhaled in relief. 

In the glow of the fire, neither could see the other’s face flushed with desire. Neither could hear the other’s heart, hammering within his chest.


	7. Day 7 - Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated T for moderate booziness, and referenced bad dance moves

Rhett was feeling a little buzzed from the cocktails at the Myth Ent holiday party. He had planned to take it easy this year, but he felt his mind drifting farther and farther from that promise. He had decided to step away from the festivities for a moment, and give himself a self-guided tour of the venue. He wandered the darkened, vacant halls, lit only by Christmas lights strewn from ceilings and wrapped around bannisters. The lightness in his head and the glow of the lights gave everything a vaguely magical feel. He found his way to a fire escape on the third floor, and stepped out into the night air. He closed his eyes as the cool breeze refreshed his sweat-dampened skin. His magical moment of solitude was interrupted by a voice as familiar as his own inner monologue.

“Are you gonna remember how to find your way back through that maze?”

“Just follow the lights,” Rhett replied matter-of-factly. 

“You seemed a little tipsy down there. I worried for your short-term memory, and didn’t want you gettin’ lost.”

“Well, thanks, Link,” Rhett replied with mock sincerity. “Too bad I won’t remember this act of thoughtfulness tomorrow morning.”

“That’s really gonna work out for you. Maybe you won’t remember how you sloshed your drink on Ellie’s sweater.”

“Hopefully, she drinks enough to forget, too... And hopefully, tomorrow I won’t remember some of my regrettable dance moves. Who decided to play the Cupid Shuffle anyway? It’s not a Christmas song! And it’s like 10 years old!”

“The Electric Slide is as old as we are, an’ people still play that.”

“Good point. Too bad I’m not likely to remember it in the morning.” Rhett winked. 

“I’d better keep an eye on you, and make sure you don’t do anything else you might regret.”

“Think I’ll remember this?” Rhett asked, as he slipped his hands over Link’s and drew him closer.

“Mmmm. Not likely.”

They stood like that for a moment. Listening to the muffled Christmas music from the party below. Acutely aware of one another’s body heat.

“And I guess you probably won’t remember this...” Link whispered as he brought his lips up toward Rhett’s, and softly pressed them together. 

Rhett inhaled the scent of him. And breathed in the taste of him. He committed every aspect of the moment flawlessly to memory, despite their running joke. There was now a permanent scar on the memory center of his brain: an unbreakable connection forged of Christmas time, too much rum, cool night air, and Link’s lips. 

Unforgettable.


	8. Day 8 - Music

Link had never been a big Christmas music person. It always seemed like they were starting it earlier and earlier each year. And by the time Christmas arrived he had heard the same songs repeated so many times, he was completely and utterly over it. 

But Rhett had changed all that for him. 

Because Rhett loved Christmas music. Loved it. He would start playing it the day after Thanksgiving, and it never seemed to get old for him. Link always indulged him this love, because - well, Link loved Rhett. And he loved the way that Rhett would light up with Christmas spirit. The way he would try to swing his hips to the more ‘rockin’’ renditions. And the way the sentimental ones would always make him tear up. Like, actual honest-to-goodness tears! 

But Link’s indulgence of Rhett’s heightened emotional state and sentimentality really paid off in the bedroom. It made for some of the most passionate sex they had all year. And Link got to enjoy his own personal favorite sounds of the season. Rhett would all but sing for him as Link buried himself deep inside him. And Rhett clung tightly to Link, digging his fingertips bruisingly hard into his hips and ass, trying to pull him deeper still. Like he could never get close enough to him. All the emotion escaped Rhett in sounds of love in devotion when Link moved inside him. Link savored every note that he coaxed from him, as he swiveled and pulsed his hips. And when Rhett would reach a crescendo, there were sometimes little shimmering of tears, like the ones the Christmas music brought out of him. 

Link honestly didn’t understand Rhett’s overly emotional connection to the holidays, but he was more than happy to kiss the sparkling corners of his wet eyes, and be there for him each year as he rode it out.


	9. Day 9 - Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter notes: college rhink, coming out to family issues, some light angst, but with a happy ending.

Rhett knew he wasn’t being fair to Link. But, Link wasn’t being completely fair either. But still, Rhett knew he didn’t have to be so dramatic when Link was making a simple, boyfriendly gesture like asking what he wanted for Christmas, as they were driving home for winter break.  


“You know,” he muttered, watching Link’s face focusing on the road, his grip on the wheel tightening.  


“Rhett... it’s not that easy.”  


“So, what’s easy? Being one way at school, and another at home? Everyone knowing, no one saying anything? Do they think that _we think_ we’re... fooling anybody?”  


“It impacts more than just you, Rhett. More than just _us_. These are our families. They...”  


“You know they know already. I don’t wanna play the ‘confirmed bachelor’. Find myself middle aged ‘Uncle Rhett’ with his ‘roommate’ as everyone exchanges uncomfortable looks.”  


“That’s getting ahead of ourselves.”  


“I’m not askin’ you to... like, do me on the table during dinner in front of my whole extended family or whatever...”  


Link snort-laughed. “ _Do_ you?! Ha! I wish you would ask me. That’d be pretty hilarious.”  


“I’m not tryna put you on the spot, since we’re heading straight from school to my family’s Christmas party. And I know I don’t get to tell you when to come out, or to whom. I just. I wanna be your boyfriend. All the time.”  


“I know, honey,” Link was gnawing the skin on his lower lip raw. “I promise, I’m trying.”  


—————  


They’d been able to salvage the rest of the trip. Settling into a comfortable silence. Link’s hand on top of Rhett’s on the center-console.  


And Link seemed perfectly at ease with Rhett’s family once they’d arrived. Why wouldn’t he be? He’d known them his entire life. It wasn't exactly the way Rhett wanted, but it really was something. He was beginning to feel like that was enough.  


He watched Link make his way through a gauntlet of family members wanting to catch up, finally arriving to rest on the arm of the sofa next to Rhett. He handed Rhett a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Leaned down, and slowly planted a soft kiss on Rhett’s cheek. Rhett hoped he looked calmer than he felt in his sudden excitement, as he surveyed the room. A few people had definitely noticed. But there was no record scratch, no unnatural silence with all eyes on them. Some people saw. Some people whispered. But nobody screamed. Nobody vomited. Rhett hadn’t actually believed those were possibilities. Or had he? Maybe subconsciously, he’d been as frightened as Link.  


“Genie ain’t goin’ back in the bottle now, bo.” Link said, gently rubbing Rhett’s shoulder. “I reckon my momma will hear about it well before I’ve made it home tonight.”  


Rhett was excited. He was relieved. He was scared as hell with his stomach floating in his throat. Mostly, he was grateful. He could’ve cried.  


“Thank you.” His voice clear, yet barely audible. “This was exactly what I wanted...”


	10. Day 10 - Do You See What I See

_The child, the child_  
_Sleeping in the night_  
_He will bring us goodness and light_

__

__

____

____

Rhett stood just outside their child’s room. Which seemed appropriate. He always felt ‘just outside’ when it came to their little family unit. 

Link was such a natural. He bonded with their baby instantly, while Rhett still felt like he and their little one were strangers. Weren’t people supposed to feel love at first sight toward their children? Was there something wrong with him? 

And it wasn’t just the addition of the child. It felt like something else was being subtracted. Like he was being replaced in Link’s heart. 

He hovered by the doorway, and watched as Link coaxed their little one’s arms up to change their clothes. Rhett’s heart tightened, remembering when it had been his own arms that Link coaxed up, with stars in his eyes. 

Of course, it wasn’t the same, he told himself. But he couldn’t make himself feel like his bond with Link wasn’t being sacrificed for this new bond that was bringing such life to Link. 

Link was truly transformed, Rhett couldn’t help admiring. Link beamed over at Rhett with an energy that was all happiness and peace, as he lifted their little one up fully dressed in little elf Christmas jammies. 

Rhett smiled.

Link had always wanted to be a daddy; and now that he was, Rhett was always catching him looking to Rhett with an expression that translated to _Look, Rhett! It’s happening! I’m really doing it._

Rhett started to feel bad about the jealousy he’d been feeling over Link. That man’s heart had more than enough love to go around. Especially when it came to family. It wasn’t some fixed commodity that had to be divvied up between one person and another. It would simply expand as their family did. 

This new Dad-Link had not replaced _his_ Link. It was just another facet of the same man. And at the end of the day, they were all his; in as much as any of them were. Just another Link for Rhett to love. There could be a thousand different versions dwelling within him, and Rhett was certain they’d all be beautiful. And there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Link would give each and every one of them to him. 

Once they had given the last bottle, sung the last lullaby, and given the last kiss goodnight, he was Rhett’s Link again. Nestled into him on the couch, Christmas tree lights glowing against his skin as they wound down with some tv. 

Rhett’s gaze drifted toward the stockings before the fireplace. There were the same two Rhett and Link had been hanging since they’d gotten their first apartment together after college. And this year, a third smaller stocking joining theirs. While Rhett did feel a pang in his chest, this time it had nothing to do with jealousy. It was pure joy.


	11. Day 11 - Comfort and Joy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Childhood randl. Angst and ‘broken’ family issues; but with a happy ending, as usual :)

As Rhett snuggled up under the crook of Link’s arm, resting his head against his chest; he couldn’t help thinking back on all their Christmases together. Decades of them. And thinking back on the first real promise he ever made to him. Long before his marriage vows. Heck, even before the blood oath. 

When they were small, and Link would get upset about his broken family. He’d alternate between thinking that big family holiday traditions were ‘stupid’; and then wanting nothing more than to sit in on Rhett’s family’s. 

Rhett never called him out on his hypocrisy. He knew Link was just hurt. Whether we’re talking father figures or his actual dad, men came into and went out of his life without much thought to how that kind of whiplash left Link feeling. 

One Christmas when Link was feeling particularly gutted, with tears in his eyes. Tears that Link was feeling some kind of triumph over holding back, shining in his eyes; not allowing them to spill over into actual crying territory. Rhett thought that he saw one rogue one leak out the corner of his left eye, but he wasn’t about to call him out on that either. 

Instead, Rhett promised him that he would never leave him. That Link could count on him to be there with him every Christmas that Link would have him. Link hadn’t really said anything in return. But he hugged himself hard into Rhett’s chest. When he eventually pulled away, Rhett’s pajama shirt was damp, and Link’s eyes were dry. 

They’d spent every Christmas together since.


	12. Day 12 - Gingerbread

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is explicit: For a blowjob, and uncomfortable devil-may-care baking technique.

They had never made Christmas cookies together before. The recipe was pretty straight forward, but leave it to Link to find points of contention with Rhett’s gingerbread man making technique. 

“If we were cooking, I’d leave you be. But baking requires exact measurements, you can’t just be eyeballing how much of each thing you throw in there!” 

And his critiques didn’t end there. “What’d you make icing for? I don’t think you’re supposed to ice gingerbread men.” 

“Okay, you may have been onto something with the exact measurements in baking. But you are wrong on this, buddy roll. You absolutely do ice gingerbread men. You give ‘em little collars, and cuffs, and dot little icing-buttons down their fronts. You could go wild giving them icing-pants and suspenders, but I don’t wanna get too crazy, and offend your delicate sensibilities, gingerbread man purist that you are.” 

Link looked deep in thought over this topic. Either that or he was ignoring Rhett and thinking about something else entirely. He idly began chewing on one of the un-iced cookies.

“What? Are you punishing me now? Trying to make me jealous?”

“You wanna cookie?”

“For once, this ain’t about food. This is about you nibbling on another man, right in front of me.”

Link barked out a laugh at this accusation, but immediately was in on the game. “You know he don’t taste as good as you, baby.”

Link reached down to one of Rhett’s flour-covered hands and began to lick the remnants of raw cookie dough from under his nails and between his fingers. Moaning theatrically as he did so. 

“Fuck...” Rhett whispered, “That’s so good. And I’ve been so bad. I’m sorry I didn’t measure the ginger and cinnamon. I really wanna make it up to you. And be really, really good for you.”

Rhett backed Link up against the kitchen counter, and slid down to his knees. Link’s cock went from pliable in his hands to ‘ready’ faster than the cookies had, and Rhett was drooling for a taste. 

Link reached down and tugged Rhett’s shirt off. “I wanna look at you when you’re sucking me, baby.” Link told Rhett how good he looked, how beautiful his body was, and how good he was making him feel. 

Rhett was surprised when Link guided him away from his cock as he was clearly reaching the edge. But he held Rhett close, holding his curls of hair in one fist while, he jerked himself toward completion with the other. Rhett tried to reach toward him to lend a hand. 

“Let me... “

But Link stopped him, “No, honey, hands behind your back.”

Rhett did as he was told, and it wasn’t long before Link was spraying come all over his chest. 

Link dabbed his fingers at one of the dots of come near Rhett’s clavicle, and brought it up to his lips. “I’ve decided I agreed with you about the icing. It’s a good look.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are halfway there!! Thank you so much for the support up to this point. I appreciate every kudo and comment here; and all the likes, reblogs (with such nice tags), and comments over on Tumblr. I’m having a lot of fun with this :)


	13. Day 13 - Frost

Link walked several paces in front of Rhett as they hiked through the woods that winter morning. Is was early, especially during Christmas vacation. It was cold enough that there was still frost on the ground. The only thing frostier was Link’s disposition. 

“So, why’d you want me to come walking with you this morning if you weren’t going to talk to me at all? Or, you know, at least walk _with_ me, and not a million miles ahead of me?”

Link’s icy glare cut right into him.

“I never said I wanted you to walk with me, Rhett. I just said I was going for a walk this morning, and you could come if you wanna. You coulda done whatever you wanted. Like you did last night. Like you always do. Thought you knew that.” 

Rhett knew he’d messed up with Link. He had chosen to hang out with his basketball friends after the game. But he and Link had had plans to stay in and watch a movie together that night. 

“Link. You know it’s not like that.”

“Really? Then what’s it like?” He didn’t wait for Rhett to answer. “Because what it feels like is that I’m the perpetual backup plan. Like. Everything else seems more important. And then, if nothing else is going on. If there’s not a practice, game, or ‘team-building’ event. Or post-game party. If there’s literally nothing, then _maybe_ you’ll hang out with your lame-ass boyfriend.”

“You don’t really think that.”

“But it is important to you. And it’s only gonna get worse at college. Because you’ll probably get some big stupid scholarship somewhere that I can’t go. And you’ll wanna visit. But you’ll be busy. And then we just sorta drift apart...”

“You’re wrong,” Rhett stated matter-of-factly. “I hang out with those guys, because I’m gonna miss them next year. And I’m playing a lot of basketball, because I’m gonna miss that next year. Because I’m not playing basketball in college, Link.”

Link stared at Rhett dumbly. 

“Because I don’t see how my playing basketball is gonna help us do something big together. And that’s the goal, right? The oath? To do something creative together?”

“That blood oath feels like it was a long time ago,” Link said softly. He was still sulking, but the cold front was beginning to thaw. 

“Not to me, it doesn’t. And I’m not gonna have to miss you next year. Because I’m gonna go wherever you go. You aren’t my backup plan, Link. You are my only plan. You _are_ the plan.“

Rhett took Link’s hands in his own. Running his thumbs over Link’s cold, trembling fingers. He leaned down to kiss Link, filling them both with some much needed warmth.


	14. Day 14 - A Beautiful Sight

Rhett had woken up in the middle of the night to find that Link wasn’t lying beside him as he usually was. He figured he had gone to the bathroom, or to the kitchen to get some water. But when he hadn’t returned for a while, he decided to investigate. You could have given him a million chances, and he never would have guessed what he would find waiting for him beneath the Christmas tree. 

The the room was entirely darkened, except for the string of Christmas tree lights that was artfully wrapped around Link’s completely naked body. Rhett was speechless. The way the lights hugged his perfect build. Tightening around his narrow waist. Something about the way they framed his nipples reminded Rhett of the time he’d actually worn his chains on GMM. And the way the lights crisscrossed over his naked skin reminded him of. Many things. Ropes. Marks. He was just so fucking beautiful. And the added effect of the soft glow of the lights against his tanned skin in the darkness, casting shadow and contrasting patches of brightness, left Rhett momentarily breathless. 

Rhett licked his lips. “Do I get to unwrap this gift?”

“Of course. It is ‘for you’, after all... But, no hands.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Sinspiration](https://goo.gl/images/kNdRb7)


	15. Day 15 - Toy Soldier

Link’s friends joked that his house was more a museum than a home. Antique furniture. Taxidermy. Too much money, and no one to spend it on. But he was content with his toys in his otherwise empty house. He simply didn’t feel the yearning for human contact the way others seemed to. 

Until one day he was out for a walk. Just an evening constitutional, when he passed a small woodworking shop that he’d never noticed before. He was captivated by one particular piece: a giant nutcracker. It stood half a foot taller than Link. 

The shopkeeper was a little old woman with a thick German accent. “Handsome, isn’t he?”

“I suppose he is.”

“These brave soldiers are symbols of good luck. They keep away evil spirits.”

“That’s funny, I thought they were just for crackin’ nuts.” Link openly admired the details in the figure’s carving and painting. He was flawless. Link had to have him. 

————

His friends thought his purchase ironic, as they were certain he was nuts. They said it was creepy. Too lifelike. Almost as if the nutcracker was staring back at them. 

Link didn’t find him to be creepy. He adored the piece. Somehow he enjoyed the company of the inanimate object, and never grew tired of looking upon it. 

Link wondered if the artist had based the likeness on someone from their life. A brother, friend, or lover? Link could see the soldier as any of those things. He reached up to run his fingertips over the facial structure. Such soft, masculine features... Link brushed his fingertips over the carved lips above the uncharacteristic honey-brown beard.

He experimentally trailed his fingers down over the soft hairs glued to the expertly crafted wood. His gaze traveled the length the crimson coat of the uniform, and down to the black knee-high boots. Link’s his heartbeat quickened. 

How was he having such a reaction to this overgrown trinket? His eyes quickly scanned the room, though he knew he was alone. Once he was convinced that nobody would bear witness to what he felt compelled to do next, he cupped the face of the silly doll, and pressed their lips together. 

He expected the kiss to be cold and rigid. But Link could have sworn he felt heat. 

He pressed himself closer to the figure. Shamelessly generating friction against his own wood...

He tore himself away from it as he felt the jaw drop, and one of the arms stiffly move. 

The adrenaline coursing through his veins was now equal parts lust and fear. He watched his soldier open and shut its mouth, giving way to relaxed, more human movements. The once lifeless eyes blinked, and focused on Link’s. In minutes he had taken on full human form. 

“Have I lost it? Am I completely delusional?”

“Didn’t you hear the shopkeeper? I’m good luck, and I ward away darkness.”

Link couldn’t have cared less about darkness. But he was very desperate to get lucky.


	16. Day 16 - Season’s Greetings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter warning: There’s some inferred homophobia in this one. But with a hopeful ending.

Rhett’s parents had sent him a Christmas card for as long as Link could remember. The problem was, they were very clear that they were sending _Rhett_ a Christmas card. 

It wasn’t too weird when they were in college. I mean, they had other roommates and Link didn’t expect them to address the thing to the whole suite. So, fine... _Merry Christmas, Rhett_. Never mind the fact that they’d known Link nearly his whole dang life. And definitely never mind the fact that they knew good and well that Rhett and Link were not ‘just friends’. Link couldn’t help thinking that they were hoping that if they didn’t put it into writing, they could pretend it wasn’t real. But another part of Link thought that maybe he was being sensitive, and it was not an active effort to exclude him from their well-wishes. 

It got worse after they’d graduated, and gotten their own apartment together. Their relationship was beyond serious. Not just experimenting in college. Things had progressed to the point where if they broke up there’d be divvying up of furniture and pets... And the pets part was what finally pushed Link over the edge, and sent him complaining to Rhett about it. “Do you see what they put in the Christmas card this year?! _Dear Rhett and Barbara_! They included the freakin’ dog, but not me?” They knew he was there. How could they think that they weren’t saying something by not saying something?

A few years later, Link had proposed to Rhett on his birthday. A couple months later, when that year’s Christmas card arrived, Link held his breath as he opened it. _Merry Christmas, Rhett! Tell Link we say hi._ Link rolled his eyes. Hard. “Tell me they say hi? What? Like when we bump into each other at the grocery store? Or like... maybe next time I’m _inside you_? Why can’t they just treat us like an actual couple. How long have we been together? We’re freakin’ engaged, for cryin’ out loud!”

Another year went by, and Rhett and Link were celebrating their first holiday season as a married couple. Link didn’t have high hopes for the Christmas card from his in-laws. But he had been in such good spirits that year, he had promised himself he wasn’t gonna get worked up about the stupid card. “Hey, Link, check this out!” Rhett slid the card across the table toward Link. And there it was. Finally. _Rhett & Link, Merry Christmas! We love you boys, and can’t wait to see you when you come home._

There it was. Such a simple sentiment. But it meant the world to him for Rhett’s family to finally include him as a part of it.


	17. Day 17 - Warm and Cozy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These boys are domestic af.

Christmas Eve was as full of traditions as Christmas Day in their household. 

They all got to open two gifts. One, everyone knew, would be pajamas. Matching, for the whole family. Rhett caught a look in the eye of their oldest that let him know that the novelty of this particular tradition was wearing off. Link saw it too, and just shrugged. The younger ones still seemed excited to open and change into their matching Christmas jammies. 

Then they each got to open one small present. The ‘real’ gifts were tomorrow morning. This was just a warm up. 

“Okay, everyone,” Rhett announced, “Let’s get some pictures before bed.”

Link nodded. “Gotta get some rest. Tomorrow’s a big day!” 

“Oh, is it? Kids? What’s so special about tomorrow? That it’s Tuesday?” 

“Noooooo!” Their youngest whined playfully.

“Not excited about Tuesday?” Rhett teased. 

“Tomorrow! Is! Christmas!” the kids chanted. 

“Oh my goodness, you’re right!” Link squealed to mirror their excitement. 

“So, Daddy was right when he said y’all need to get yourselves to bed. Hurry up and get these photos. You’re grandparents will love ‘em!” 

Link and Rhett lined them up and took some pictures. Some by the tree. Some by the stockings. They used the timer feature to get into some of them with the kids. The kids wanted to wanted to take some of just the dogs. 

“Okay,” Link said, “That picture of Jade and Barbara is too freakin’ cute. I’m gonna use that as my phone’s lock screen.”

“I thought I was your lock screen!” Rhett put on a pouty-face. 

“You _was_ ,” Link said with a wink. “Until now!”

Their little ones wanted to take a picture of their daddies, so Rhett and Link posed for them in front of the tree. Rhett’s head was inevitably cut off, but they just smiled at each other and didn’t bother retaking it. Link tried to get them to take a picture of them smooching under the mistletoe, but that was met with groans of “Ew, Daddy. Don’t be gross!” Followed by giggles. 

“All right, y’all,” Rhett announced, “If you don’t start gettin’ your butts to bed, I’m going to start to consider hot chocolate after dinner a mistake!”

Once the kids were in bed, and the presents positioned under the tree for the next morning, they finally settled down for the night. 

“Goodness, they’re growin’ fast,” Link commented, climbing into bed. 

“I can tell you one person that won’t be joining us for matching jammies next year.”

“You’re probably right,” Link agreed. “I mean, would you have wanted to at that age? Anyway, think of all the money we’ll save not havin’ to get yours special ordered. They just don’t make ‘em for a ‘child’ your size. Besides,” Link gave him a mischievous look as he leaned in to whisper, “you look better out of ‘em anyway.”

Rhett purred pleasantly in repose, tugging Link closer to him. “Yeah? Get yourself over here and get real ‘gross’ with me, Daddy.”


	18. Day 18 - Celebration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is explicit: fertility issues, breeding kink.

Rhett and Link raced to the phone.

Rhett got there first.

"Put it on speaker!" Link whispered harshly.

Rhett put a finger to his lips to shush him, nodding vaguely, and thanked the person on the other line, before hanging up and _finally_ looking at Link.

"It worked," he stated.

"It... it did?!" Link almost couldn't let himself believe it. "The IVF worked? We... we're gonna be parents?!"

Link wrapped his arms around Rhett, squeezing him so hard he thought he might snap him in two. The first cycle they tried, their surrogate had not become pregnant. They were disappointed, but they knew a lot of times it didn't happen on the first round. The second time was more devastating. They only had one more embryo. And there was literally nothing they could do about it, except wait for news. 

Getting this good news so close to Christmas was the perfect gift. So Rhett was confused as Link's ecstatic expression quickly fell.

"Are you okay? Are you freaking out? Tell me what's going on..."

"No, it's nothing... Well, it's stupid."

"Tell me."

"I feel really ungrateful right now. Because this is the perfect, best news . But... I still wish... That I could... Y'know... Carry the baby myself?"

This wasn't the first time Link had shared these feelings with him, and Rhett knew he had to be delicate. Sometimes Link just wanted to be sad, and not be touched. But other times... other times he would let Rhett touch him, and make him feel better.

Rhett was really hoping this was one of those times.

He reached down and grabbed Link by the waist. "I wish you could, too, baby. You'd look so good...." He leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Is this okay? Is it okay if I try?"

Link weakly whimpered "Yes, please" before pulling Rhett toward him, and walking them toward the bedroom. Rhett quickly removed Link's pants, and pushed his knees toward his chest. "Hold these for me, honey." Link did, hugging his own knees to his chest as Rhett worked fast to get Link ready for him. Link's eyes rolled back into his head, and he was left breathless as Rhett slid into him. Rhett was relentless, pushing as deeply as he could. He whispered pretty lies about how he knew it would work this time, and how sexy and glowing Link would be when it did. 

It was meant to be a quick romp, and it was.

Rhett held his final thrust inside Link, and relished the warm, sticky feeling of Link's come on his belly. 

"You want me to plug you, darlin'? Keep that baby inside you?"

Link smiled, blinking away happy tears that were leaking from his eyes from the emotion and endorphins. "No... I'm feeling much better. And we have a _real_ baby on the way. Just... Help clean me up? And then get some champagne, so we can celebrate. Our last Christmas as a family of two!"


	19. Day 19 - Silent Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explicit: college Rhink handjob, anal fingering with the assist.

Link’s childhood bed creaked under the shifting weight as Rhett slid beside him. 

The joys of being home for the holidays...

“Shhhhh! You know these walls are paper thin. We need to be quiet.” Link pulled Rhett closer, going for a kiss. 

Rhett pulled back. “Well, if we can’t be makin’ noise, we might as well stop. You can’t keep quiet.”

“I can, too.”

Rhett softened his kiss, sinking into Link’s needy lips. Link softly moaned, and Rhett pulled back, giving Link a reprimanding look. 

“Oh, please!” Link hissed. “There’s no way she heard that.”

Rhett smirked. “Think she’ll hear this?” Rhett stroked Link’s cock through his shorts, and Link buried his face into Rhett’s chest to stifle his sharp inhale. Rhett maneuvered his hand under the shorts and wrapped it around Link. 

Link brought his hands up to cup either side of Rhett’s face. Silently whining his moans into Rhett’s mouth. 

Rhett felt Link spreading his legs wider beneath him, lifting his hips up and wiggling. Begging him wordlessly. 

Rhett figured Link’s silence here had more to do with shyness than noise. Some things they’d explored at college were still pretty new, and part of Rhett thought if they were uncomfortable talking about them, they likely weren’t ready to be doing them. But when he had his hands on Link, whimpering and begging under him... he didn’t think there was anything he would deny Link like this. 

Rhett breathed into his ear, needing clarification, “What do you need, baby?”

Link responded between delicious little whiny noises. “Mmmm. You know. Mmmm use your finger, too.”

“I didn’t bring any... lube.” 

“Sock drawer,” Link quietly informed him. He pulled Rhett back when he turned to get it. “For future reference. For now. Just. Use your spit or somethin’. I’m really close. You don’t have to do a lot, just wanna... feel something in there.”

Link wasn’t being so shy now. And it was making Rhett harder, hearing him telling him what he wanted so plainly. 

Rhett lifted a finger, resting it on Link’s lower lip. He pushed it slowly into Link’s mouth, letting him get it wet for him. Now it was Rhett’s turn to suppress a moan. He couldn’t help it watching his finger disappear into Link’s hot little mouth.

Rhett lowered his arm, easing a finger past the tight rings of muscle. Link’s mouth opened in silent ecstasy, eyes rolling back toward his headboard. Rhett began stroking Link again with his other hand. Link brought a hand up to cover his mouth, biting down on it to keep quiet. 

Rhett heard Link’s muffled moans coming higher and closer together near his ear. 

Link kicked his legs out rigidly, arms clinging to Rhett’s shoulders, burying his head and screaming hot and noiselessly into the crook of his sweat-salted skin. 

“I don’t know how quiet we ended up bein’,” Rhett said through an irrepressible grin.

Link giggled dizzily. “You think you could be any quieter?” Link waggled his eyebrows. 

“Challenge accepted.”


	20. Day 20 - Home

Rhett and Link spent their first Christmas in LA with mixed emotions. Rhett was a little more open to it than Link was. Link just wasn’t having any of it. 

“I don’t care how much Christmas music you play, or how much peppermint flavored crap you fill the cupboards with. It just doesn’t feel like Christmas here. You can forget about snow. It ain’t even cold. It just feels all fake and contrived.”

“Well, counterpoint. There are some benefits to experiencing the Christmas season here. I mean, the reason that it doesn’t feel like Christmas here is because it’s so different from any other Christmas we’ve had before. Christmases where we weren’t pursuing our shared dream. Christmases where we weren’t _together_. We get to make our own traditions here. We just don’t feel them yet, because this is the first one. The one that will set the benchmark for all of our LA Christmases. Years from now we won’t be able to imagine a Christmas that isn’t just like this one. Because this is how _our_ Christmases will have always been. And sometimes we’ll go back ‘home’, but it’ll feel funny because it’s not how our Christmases usually are. But this year. We get to spend our first Christmas in our new ‘home’.”

“Well, you can’t just refer to North Carolina and LA as ‘home’ interchangeably like that. They can’t both be ‘home’.”

“Says who?”

“Says.... the very definition of the word.”

“Well, we’re adults. We get to define what home is to us.”

“These are all.... really lovely sentiments and all, Rhett.” Link removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose with frustration. “But we can use our adult powers to define home all we want, but... this just doesn’t _feel_ like home to me. Not right now. Not during Christmas time.”

Rhett held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay... I’ll give that to you. Right now. This year. This first year out here, I agree. And I’m not gonna pretend that this place does feel like home. But you know what does?”

Link looked up at Rhett skeptically.

“You do, Link. No matter where we are.”


	21. Day 21 - Hopes and Fears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter-specific warnings for some uncomfortable stuff about church, homophobia, mentions of conversion-therapy type experiences, etc. 
> 
> It all ends happily, but if this is not the kind of thing you need in your Christmas-fic, might wanna skip this one in hopes of something a little more holly-jolly tomorrow :)

Link let Rhett help get him ready in his dress clothes the same way he always did. Before awards shows. Before TV appearances. Rhett smoothed Link’s collar, straightened his tie. Link had been been less nervous making his debut television appearance than he was now, getting ready to make his first appearance in… quite some time… at the church that they had attended as boys. 

“I feel like I’m gonna be sick,” Link muttered. 

“We’re gonna be with family, and friends. People that love us. The ones that don’t… well, just ignore them.” 

“How can I ignore the freakin’ reverend?!” Links hands were shaking. More than usual. 

Link shuddered when he thought back to how he had lied to the older teen who had been his counselor, at the time; and who he understood led most sermons at his old church these days. It wasn’t that he had been unkind, but he had made it very clear what he thought of Link’s ‘unnatural urges’, and the fate of his immortal soul should he not learn to suppress those misguided feelings. Link had gone along with it, just so the meetings could stop. He had never thought that he could change, nor did he want to. His feelings were as natural as breathing. He had prayed and hoped that God understood he was lying to the church, and not trying to lie to God Himself. Then had cried to Rhett, because he didn’t see a way out of Hell: if he wasn’t damned for how he felt, he was damned for lying to people about it. 

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that. Back then. And that I was a coward. Letting you do it alone.”

Rhett and Link hugged, and held each other before leaving the bedroom to join Link’s mother for the ride to Christmas services. 

It wasn’t as bad as Link had imagined. The people were the same folks that they always saw around town, and they hadn’t turned into monsters for the change of scenery. Plus, they themselves hadn’t burst into flames upon arrival. But the part – which was beyond anything Link had hoped for when agreeing to go to church with their families back home – was how the reverend greeted him. 

He pulled Link into a warm embrace, and told him how good it was to see him. He openly looked upon Link and Rhett together, Rhett’s grip tight on Link’s hand for support. 

“I’m so glad you have found happiness, Link.” He paused, before continuing. “I can never apologize adequately for what I put you through all those years ago. I hope you can find the grace to forgive me my ignorance. I never imagined I would have the opportunity to tell you that.” 

It was a Christmas miracle, as far as Link was concerned. He knew he’d never be able to forget what he’d endured, during that period of his life. But the forgiveness part. That felt good. That felt real good.


	22. Day 22 - Feast

“Remind me why we do this again?” Link whined, exasperated, once the last of their dinner guests had finally departed. 

“You love it,” Rhett said with a grin. 

“No, _you_ love it. This hosting stuff exhausts me. We been working on this since yesterday. With the shopping, cleaning, prepping. Decorating. Makin’ playlists. All that for one meal? Man... it’s just too freakin’ much for me.”

“I’m sorry, honey,” Rhett said. Not sounding sorry at all. “But people are gonna be talking about this ‘one meal’. They’re gonna remember this ‘one meal’. I like creating... _experiences_ for people. Y’know? Especially our close friends. They chose to spend their Christmas with us. I like that we were able to put the work in to make it special for ‘em.” 

Link rolled his eyes. “I’ll appreciate ya later, baby. Right now, I just wanna clean up this _experience_ , so I can rest.”

“Why don’t you let me help you relax?” Rhett waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Link. 

“We don’t have time for all that, Rhett. And I said I’m tired. Don’t distract me.”

“I’ll clean up. Don’t worry about the mess.”

“Oh, you’re gonna clean up?”

“Everything. Just... Let me. Let me create an _experience_ for you.”

Link yelped in surprise as Rhett scooped him up and unceremoniously dropped him down onto the kitchen table. 

“What the crap?!” Link shouted as dishes either spilled or clattered to the floor. “Are you tryna break every dish we have, in addition to your back?”

“My back’s been great lately, and I don’t give a shit about the dishes. I’ll buy ya new ones for Christmas.”

Link felt the wetness of leftover food soaking through his shirt. It felt so... wrong. So. Dirty. He felt his dick begin to harden despite himself. 

Rhett stripped Link of his dress slacks, and began to undress himself. He climbed up onto the table and straddled Link, looking very determined in just his underwear and his socks. 

“This table gonna hold?” Link asked, now ready to play. 

“It’s pretty solid, good wood.”

“I’ve got some good wood for ya.”

Rhett growled before leaning down to crush his lips against Link’s. He pinned Link’s arms down over his head. Sending a couple of half-emptied glasses shattering to the floor. 

Link moaned and lifted his hips, grinding and lightly thrusting them up against Rhett. Link could feel leftover gravies, butters, and other wet remnants of the dinner coating his arms. 

Rhett brought his hands to Link’s face, and Link could smell the glaze from the ham on Rhett’s fingers. Rhett dragged them down Link’s cheek, leaving a sticky trail that Rhett immediately erased by licking his tongue from Link’s chin to his temple. 

“You gonna clean me up, too, baby?” Link asked breathlessly. 

“I know how tired you are, honey. You don’t have to do a thing, just lemme ride your cock? Hm?” Rhett could feel Link nodding against his cheek. “And then I’ll be good, and clean everything up. Even you.”


	23. Day 23 - Nightmare Before Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is explicit - smutty blowjob ahead.

Rhett and Link had a Christmas movie tradition.

Beginning on December first one of them would pick a Christmas movie for them to watch at the end of the day. And the next day the other one would choose. 

Link generally selected more traditional Christmas movies, whereas Rhett tended to pick something more comedic or otherwise offbeat. 

Rhett had taken his selection that night to the extreme, in Link’s opinion. He had chosen a Christmas themed horror movie called Rare Exports. Apparently, it was about an evil Santa with an unusual appetite.

“Man, you know I don’t like scary movies!”

“But, it could be fun. Like, I’m sure it’s super hokey. It’ll probably wind up more funny than scary. Besides, I’ll protect you from the big bad Santa Claus.” Rhett winked at Link, and pulled him closer to him on the sofa. Wrapping him in a protective embrace, and snuggling a kiss into the side of his neck.

“Well,” Link said indignantly. “I’m not watchin’ that crap.”

“All right, all right. I’ll pick something different. I thought you might react like this, so I had a backup plan.”

“Hold on there, buddy roll,” Link pushed back from Rhett’s hold. “I said that _I’m_ not watchin’ it, I never said you couldn’t.”

Link slid down off the sofa, dropping to his knees between Rhett’s legs, tugging down his snowflake pajama pants. 

“You think I was gonna react _like this_ , did ya?” Link was too pleased with himself over the speechless look on Rhett’s face. 

Link ignored the ghastly sounds coming from the stupid movie, and focused instead on the soft moans and grunts he was drawing from Rhett with his skilled mouth. 

Rhett softly lowered a hand to gently stroke Link’s hair. Link reached his own hand up over Rhett’s, and clenched Rhett’s hand into a fist around his hair, wordlessly encouraging him to yank it. Rhett took the direction, and Link hummed a moan around the thick dick in his mouth that sent Rhett’s thighs shaking. 

Link did not relent. Bobbing his head in Rhett’s lap, feeling Rhett coming more and more unglued under his touch. Hearing Rhett mutter a barely coherent string of curses and praises. Link felt the drool and precome dripping over his lips to pool at the bottom of his chin. His movements were wet and sloppy, and the sucking sounds obscene. 

Link reached down to touch his own cock, stroking himself in time with his own mouth movements. He knew Rhett could feel his arm working. They were both moaning and breathing hard and fast. 

Link surprised himself by coming first. He hummed his moans deeply around Rhett’s cock, driving Rhett over the edge, swallowing it all. 

“Nnngh... Fuck, Link,” Rhett exhaled as he tried to steady his breaths. “I’m none too motivated to select a better movie for ya next time. 

Link smiled, wiping at the corner of his mouth. “You can’t help it if your taste it holiday movies blows.”


	24. Day 24 - Peace

Rhett and Link had decided to stay in LA for Christmas this year. Well, it had been Rhett’s idea. But what was Link gonna do, spend Christmas without his boyfriend, his best friend, his... his Rhett? 

The idea had some appeal. It was just the two of them. No family visiting. Their friends out of town to visit their own families. It was kind of quiet, and peaceful. 

Rhett had woken up before him that morning. Which was a little out of character for Rhett. Link saw him staring at his tea, as Link dragged himself to the cupboard to pour himself some cereal. Still groggy, and rubbing sleep out of his eyes. He noticed Rhett didn’t have any breakfast in front of him. Which was definitely out of character. 

“You okay, babe?” Link asked with a yawn. 

“Yeah, but I was wondering... can we open a couple presents this morning, instead of tomorrow?”

“You know I ain’t gonna argue with early presents!” 

Rhett hopped up from his seat and picked out a small, rectangular gift, and a card. He handed Link the present. 

“Card first, Rhett. That’s proper gift etiquette.” 

“Humor me.”

“Oooookay...”

Link opened the gift to find one of those fancy-looking collectible silver spoons. “What the...?”

He turned it over in his hand and saw an engraving, _1984 - forever_. “This is really nice, Rhett. Looks... expensive.”

“Not as expensive as a diamond ring. But I don’t reckon you’d wear one of them.”

Link’s eyes glassed over as understanding crept in. 

“But you do use a spoon every day. When you eat your cereal. And I know a spoon doesn’t make it obvious what I’m trying to propose here, but...” Rhett got down on one knee, and took one of Link’s shaky hands. “I was hoping that I could be the one to watch you eat your breakfast cereal every day. For the rest of our lives?”

“Are you... askin’ me to marry you?” Link’s smile was irrepressible.

“Of course, dummy!” 

“Of course, Rhett!” He pulled Rhett up from the floor, and into a bone-crushing hug. Then kissed him deeply. He pulled back with tears in his eyes. “I can’t wait to tell my mom. And your mom. And, well, everybody!”

“You won’t have to. Open your card.”

Inside the card were two plane tickets to North Carolina. They were departing in just a few hours! 

“I already packed for us,” Rhett revealed proudly. “I know you don’t wanna be away from our families on Christmas.”

“Thank you, Rhett!” Link practically squealed, squeezing him in another hug. 

—————

Link held Rhett’s hand as they prepared for take off, smiling as he closed his eyes. He knew he’d probably doze off soon; and Rhett would likely take another sleeping, mouth open, drooling on himself travel photo of him. But Link didn’t care. He was awake long enough to reflect on how his heart had never felt so full, and his mind never more at peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last one, everybody :) I hope everyone has a great holiday, and a very mythical new year <3


End file.
